Drawing the people to God...

 The last few days have been a whirlwind of events. I will try to get you up to speed on the highlights of our adventure so far.

One of the primary reasons that we had decided to start the study abroad in Barcelona was to take them to the Museu Nacional d'Arte de Catalunya. The museum is housed in a the Palau Nacional (National Palace) that was built as part of an International Exposition held in 1929. The building sits on Montjuic (Mount of Joy). The museum is famous for its extensive collection of Romanesque frescos, altarpieces and other religious artifacts that were recovered from crumbling churches throughout the Catalan region. The museum also has an impressive collection of Gothic artwork.

The first piece is the frontal of an altar from the Church of Santa María de Cardet that dates from the 1250's. At the center is the enthroned Mary holding Christ with his hand in the form of the Dexteri Domini (Hand of God) that shows the three upright fingers of his right hand that represent the Trinity and the two downturned fingers that are said to represent God's humanity and divinity. These figures sit within a mandorla, the almond-shaped frame that encloses them. The mandorla represents the intersection between heaven and earth (i.e., between divine and human natures) as well as divine glory. Completing the central frame are four figures. These are known as the Tetramorphs that represent the four Evangelists: the human is Matthew; the eagle is John; the lion is Mark; and the Ox is Luke. These images are derived from the Book of Revelations, chapter 4, verses 6-8 where these four figures praise the Lamb day and night saying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." 

The top row (left to right) begins with the Annunciation and is followed by the the Visitation when Mary greets Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. The far-right panel shows the Nativity. Mary reclines in her bed while Joseph attends to her. According to tradition, Mary feels no pain in childbirth having been freed from the effects of the fall; that women would feel pain in childbirth. Above Mary is the Christ Child being attended to by the ox, that represents Israel, and the ass, that represents the Gentiles. The image is rooted in Isaiah 1:3, "The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand." Further to the right is the appearance of the angels to the shepherds who are attending to their flock.

The bottom row (left) is the Epiphany, more commonly known as the Visit of the Three Magi. You see them approaching Mary and the Christ Child, engaged in conversation and kneeling with a gift in hand. To the right are several scenes starting at the top of the frame: After the three Magi failed to inform Herod of the Christ Child's location, he sends men to slay all children under the age of two. Below are a soldier stands (perhaps having slain a child) while the child's mother stands holding her chest in an act of lamentation. The oversized figures are of Mary, the Child and Joseph as they flee to Egypt. 

Frontal pieces like this one were designed to remind the faithful of important stories or episodes from sacred writ. Pieces like this one reached out to the populace that was fundamentally illiterate.

This is the apse of the Church of San Climent de Taüll, from 1123.The apse offers four narratives. In the lower portion are, from left to right, Saint Thomas, Saint Bartholomew, Mary, Saint John, Saint James the Elder (Santiago) and Saint Philip. The Virgin Mary holds a chalice that holds the blood of Christ. John the Beloved is nearly always depicted as a beardless young man. Above this row of saints is the  Pantocrator with a Maiestes Domini (Christ in Majesty) sitting enthroned in the center. With his right hand he holds up the Dexteri Domini and holds a book in the other, representing the Word of God. On either side of his head are the Greek letters Alpha and Omega; symbolic of his role as creator and savior. In four circular medallions along the bottom ridge of the second tier are the tetramorphs representing the four Evangelists.

Looking up at the ceiling of the dome is the hand of God (Dexteri Domini). In the topmost, forward position is the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God). In this iteration the lamb has seven eyes, each one representing the "seven spirits of God sent out into the world," they being Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Might, Knowledge and Fear of the Lord. 

I have come to love and respect the means of communicating to the believer the character of God or to tell stories. One last thought: You may wonder why these pieces of art appear so primitive. There was a belief that these images were meant to communicate truth. To create an image that reflected "reality" was to suggest that a man was as capable as God to create. Their form was yet another way of acknoledging the power and omnipotence of God.